Australia to begin mango import from next year: HC

The Australian High Commissioner, Peter Heyward has said that Australia will start the import of mango from next year. Speaking at a meeting of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and later taking to newsmen, he said that Pakistani mangoes are of a magnificent quality and taste. He said that Australia is an open market and the Pakistan textile sector should take advantage of the discontinuing of the tariff on textile.

Peter Heyward said that Australia is gradually reducing tariffs on Pakistani goods and textile in order to help Pakistani products to have greater access to Australian market. He said that Australia is interested in importing textile goods and mangoes from Pakistan, which would also act as cultural symbol of the country. Peter Heyward added that a huge demand for textiles and textile products existed in Australia.

Replying to a question about the export of uranium to India, he said that its exports should be allowed to Pakistan for power generation, he said that the issue of export of uranium to India is at advanced state and its export has not yet started.

Referring to the use of coal for energy, he said that Australia was one of the largest producers of energy through coal. A number of Australia companies were working on coal and they could help Pakistan in developing the use of coal for energy. He also pointed out other sectors like solar energy, wind and building small dams on rivers in the Northern areas for energy production. Regarding the agriculture sector, he affirmed that Australia would continue to support and develop the agricultural sector of Pakistan.

He said that Australian organisations are already working on different projects in Pakistan’s agriculture sector. The high commissioner said that economic relations between Australia and Pakistan are far below where they should be. There are a numbers of areas in which both countries can cooperate, he added.

Former President KCCI Majid Aziz said that the business community of Australia should visit Pakistan to have a first hand picture of the prevailing environment in the country for business and trade. He said that the condition of law and order is much better as compared to what is projected in the media. He suggested that Australia should provide the facility for higher education for Pakistani students in coal technology. President KCCI Mian Abrar Ahmed said that Pakistan wants to enhance its trade with all the countries of the world. He criticised the US and EU countries policies where Pakistan can not export beyond certain limit and said, “We feel this policy is discriminatory.”